Container handling device



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 8, 1960 JNVENTOR. James P Whe/an @www July 3, 1962 J. P. WHELAN coNTArNER HANDLING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 8, 1960 o@ Si @v @i mi m@ IO LO Om vv. Nm

JNVENTOR.

James F? Whe/0n July 3, 1962 J. P. WHELAN 3,042,182

CONTAINER HANDLING DEVICE United States Patent @dice 3,4Z,l82 Patented .July 3, 1962 3,042,182 CONTAINER HANDLING DEVICE .lames P. Whelan, Quincy, Mass., assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, Quincy, Mass., a corpora'- tion of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 8, 196i), Ser. No. 21,017 9 Claims. (Cl. 198-33) This invention relates to a container handling device.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved container handling device adapted to withdraw randomly arranged containers from a bulk supply thereof and to deliver the containers in a longitudinally aligned position into a chute in a rapid and efficient manner for delivery to subsequent container handling apparatus.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the container handling device hereinafter described and particularly deiined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. l is a side elevation of a container handling device embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view partly in cross section as seen from the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

In general the present invention contemplates a novel container handling device particularly adapted for handling relativelyV lightweight containers, such as plastic bottles. The illustrated container handling device comprises in general an angularly arranged or inclined unit having a series of opposed belts providing an enclosed tapering path into which randomly arranged bottles delivered from a bulk supply may fall by gravity. The bottles are received at the upper or wider end of the tapering path and pass downwardly toward the lower or narrower end of the tapering path, the narrower end being of a size such as to permit escape of the bottles endwise or in a longitudinal direction only. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the lowermost belt of the `device is arranged to be driven in the direction of travel of the bottles, and the remaining belts forming the tapering path are arranged to be driven in a direction opposed to the direction of travel of the bottles.

In operation the bottles withdrawn at random from the f ing in the opposite direction to cause the bottles to assume a longitudinally aligned position in which position they are permitted to escape through the narrow end of the tapering path to be deposited end to end longitudinally into a delivery chute.

The bottles thus deposited in the delivery chute are arranged with either the open end or closed end of the bottle in a leading direction and may be delivered to subsequent container handling mechanism adapted to orient and stand successive bottles upright for delivery to a bottle cleaning or iilling machine.

Referring now to the drawings, in general represents the present container handling device suitably supported by brackets 12 attached to an extension 11 forming a part of a supporting frame to dispose the device in an inclined position, herein shown as at about forty-tive degrees from the vertical. The device includes opposed upper and lower belts 14, 16, respectively, and a plurality of opposed side belts indicated generally at 18, 20. The belts are arranged to form a tapering path indicated generally at 22 which is of a size at the upper or larger end to accept bottles in any position delivered thereto, and of a size at its lower end to permit the bottles to pass singly and in succession through the smaller end of the path. The lower belt 16 is continuously driven in a direction to carry the bottles downwardly. The upper belt 14 and the side belts 18, 20 are driven in a direction opposite to the lower belt, that is in an upward direction.

The relatively lightweight plastic bottles 24 handled by the illustrated device are elongated and are generally rectangular or oval in cross section. The space between the upper and lower belts 14, 16 at the smaller end of the tapering path 22 is such as to provide clearance for the thickness or smaller cross sectional dimension of the bottlc, and the space between the side belts 1S, 2G at the smaller end of the tapering path is such as to provide clearance for the width or larger cross sectional dimension of the bottle.

The bottles 24 are delivered to the upper end of the tapering path from a bulk supply thereof contained in a hopper 26, and in operation the bottles passing through the tapering path are caused to assume a longitudinal position therein by engagement with the upper belt 14 and the side belts 18, 20 to permit them to pass singly through the smaller end of the tapering path. The bottles thus aligned longitudinally end to end are deposited in a chute 28 for delivery to subsequent container handling apparatus. The bottles may be withdrawn from the supply hopper 26 by gravity, and any suitable provision, not shown, may be made for controlling the gravity feed of the bottles.

As herein illustrated, the lower belt 16 is arranged to run over end pulleys 40, 42 mounted on shafts 44, 46, respectively. The pulley comprises the drive pulley and is fast on the shaft 44 which is journaled in bearing brackets 48 attached to a base member 50. The pulley 42 comprises the idler pulley and is mounted to rotate on the shaft 46 which is provided with reduced diameter and threaded ends extended through slots 52 formed in side frame brackets 54 attached to and extended at right angles from the base member 50. The shaft may be adjusted in the slots 52 to maintain the lower belt taut and is secured in its adjusted position by nuts 55.

The upper belt 14 is arranged to run over an idler pulley 56 mounted to rotate on a shaft S8 similarly secured and longitudinally adjustable in slots 59 formed in the lower ends of side rails 6d, and over a drive pulley 62 )fast on a shaft `64 which extends through openings in and is mounted to rotate in the upper ends of the side frame brackets 54 and the side rails 60. As herein shown, the lower ends of the side rails 60 are provided with slots 61`which tit over and are supported on a horizontal rod 67 carried between socket members 63 supported on the upper ends of vertical rods 68 secured to and mounted for axial adjustment in the base member 50. As herein shown, the lower ends of the vertical rods 68 are threaded and engaged with threaded `openings in the base plate 50. The upper ends of the rods 68 may be mounted for rotation in the socket members 63. The Alower ends of the rods may also be provided with handles to facilitate vertical adjustment of the rods and a lock nut 69 is provided to secure the rods in their adjusted position. The upper ends of the rods may be provided with peripheral grooves: into which pins carried by the socket members extend, as indicated in FIG. 1, to retain the parts in assembled relation. The upper ends of the side rails 6l) are supported on the drive pulley shaft 64, and collars 66 are provided to retain the parts in assembled relation as shown. The upper belt 14 also passes over an idler pulley 70 mounted to rotate on a shaft 72 secured to and adjustably mounted in slots 74 formed in the underside of the side rails 60, nuts 75 being provided to secure the shaft in its adjusted position. The upper and lower belts 14, 16 are relatively wide, and as shown in FIG. lJ the upper belt 14 is inclined upwardly relative to the lower belt 16 to form the tapering path, the pulley 70 ibeing adjustable to vary the spacing between the belts at the receiving end, while adjustment of the rods 68 varies the spacing between the belts at the -delivery end of the tapering path. The upper and lower belts 14, 16 are arranged to be driven through connections from a motor 76 mounted on a bracket 78 attached to a frame member 80. The motor is connected to the input shaft 82 of a speed reducing unit 84. The lower end of the output shaft 86 of the unit 84 is provided with a pulley 88 which is connected by a crossed belt 90 to a pulley 92 -fast on the lower belt drive pulley shaft 44. The direction of rotation ot the shaft 44 is counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. l, so that the upper run of the lower belt 16 travels downwardly. The shaft 44 is connected by a chain and sprocket drive 94 to the upper belt drive pulley 64 which is also rotated in a counterclockwise direction so that the lower run of the upper belt 14 travels upwardly. As herein shown, the upper run of the lower belt 16 is supported by a back-ing plate 96 mounted on an upper supporting member 98 carried on -the upper ends of studs 99 secured to the base plate S0.

The side belts 18, 20 comprise opposed groups 0f belts defining the sides of the tapering path. Each group comprises a plurality of relatively narrow, closely spaced Vabelts arranged in spaced tiers becoming progressively less in height as they approach the lower end of the device to correspond substantially to the tapering path formed between the upper and -lower belts. Thus, as shown in FIG. l, the group of side belts 20 comprises a pair of lower-belts 100 forming the lower tier, and which extend the -full length of the tapered path; an intermediate tier belt 102 which extends from the upper end to a point substantially medially of the tapered path; and an upper tier belt 104 which extends from the upper end to a point adjacent the upper end of the tapered path.

Each belt 100, '2, 104 of the group of side belts 20 runs over a multiple grooved end pulley 106 mounted rfor rotation on an upper upright stud 108 extending from the base member 50. As herein shown, the stud 108 is mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the device in an elongated slot 110 vformed in the base member 50 for tightening the belts, the stud being secured in its adjusted position by a nut 109a. The two lower belts 100 extend from the pulley 106 to a pulley 112 mounted for rotation on a lower upright stud 114 secured to the base member 50. The lower stud 114 is mounted for adjustment transversely of the device in an elongated slot 116 formed in the base member S0 and is secured in its adjusted position by a nut 117. Thus, the pulley 112 may be adjusted laterally relative to its opposing pulley to vary the spacing between the belts at the smaller end ofthe tapering path.

The intermediate tier belt 102 extends from the pulley 106 to a pulley 118 mounted for rotation on a stud 120 carried by an arm 122 mounted for pivotal adjustment on a bolt 124 carried by the supporting member 98. As herein shown, the 'bolt 124 extends through a longitudinally extended slot 1'25 in the arm 122, and the bolt 124 may be tightened to secure the arm 122 in its longitudinally adjusted position. A lug 121 extending upwardly from the supporting member 98 is provided with a threaded opening for receiving an adjusting screw 123 engagea-ble with the arm 122 for pivotally adjusting the arm in its belt tightening position. The upper tier belt 104 extends from the pulley 106 to a pulley 126 similarly supported in an arm 128 mounted vfor pivotal and longitudinal adjustment as above described. Pivotal adjustment of the pulleys 118, 126 laterally relative to their opposing pulleys serves to vary the spacing between belts at their respective positions in the tapered path.

The opposed .group of side belts 18 are similarly arranged in tiers and, as herein shown, includel a lower pair of belts 101 which run over a multiple groove .upper end pulley 107 mounted for rotation on an upright stud 109 and a lower end pulley 113 mounted for rotation on an upright stud 115. Intermediate belt 103 extends from the pulley 107 to a pulley 119 carried by an arm 122a similarly mounted for pivotal and longitudinal adjustment in the supporting member 98. Upper belt extends from the pulley 107 to a pulley 127 which is similarly supported in an arm 128a also mounted for pivotal and longitudinal adjustment in the member 98.

The side belts in the groups 18, 20 are also arranged to be driven from the output shaft 86 of the speed reducing unit 84, and as herein shown, the upper end of the output shaft 86 is provided with a sprocket 130 connected by a chain 132 to a sprocket 134tformed integrally with the multiple groove pulley 107 to drive the pulley in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2. Thus, the inner runs of all of the belts in the group 18 travel in an upward direction. The group of side belts 20 is driven from the group 18 by a chain and sprocket drive which includes a sprocket 136 formed integrally with the lower side belt pulley 113; a chain 138 connecting the sprocket 136 to an idler sprocket 140 rotatably mounted on a stud 142 supported in an extension 144 from the base member 50; and a sprocket 146 formed integrally with the lower side belt pulley 112 and which is engaged by the outer face or the chain 138 to eiect rotation of the pulley 112 in a clockwise direction so that the inner runs of all of the belts in the group 20 travel in an upward direction.

From the description thus far it will be seen that the top and bottom belts `14, 16 and the side belts 18, 20 from an inclined path tapering downwardly on four sides and that the lower belt 16 travels downwardly in the direction of advance of the bottles through the inclined path while the top belt 14 and the side belts 18, Z0' are caused to travel upwardly. In operation when a group 0f bottles withdrawn by gravity from the supply hopper is deposited into the upper end of the tapering path they will be carried down by gravity and by the lower belt and will be engaged by the top and side belts 14, 18, 20 traveling in a direction opposite to the advance of the bottles to cause them to lie at on the lower belt and to assume a longitudinal position in the path to permit escape of successive longitudinally arranged bottles singly through the lower end of the path, those bottles not properly positioned being urged upwardly in the path by the oppositely traveling belts until they lie flat on the lower belt and assume a longitudinal position thereon. Thus, a bottle which assumes a transverse or diagonal position on the lower belt will be engaged by one of the side belts 18 or 20 as it travels through the tapering path to turn the bottle in a longitudinal direction, the side belts tending to maintain :the bottle in its longitudinal position to permit it to pass through the lower` end of the path to be delivered into the chute 28. A bottle which may be perpendicular to the inclined lower belt will either fall forwardly or be tipped rearwardly by the upper belt to cause it to lie tiat on the lower belt. Also, any bottles which may lie on top of a bottle resting on the lower belt will be urged upwardly to assume a position on the lower belt.

The illustrated bottles being greater in width than thickness will normally assume a flat position on the lower belt, that is, with the major axis or width of the bottles in a plane parallel to the lower belt, or will be caused to assume such position as they are tossed and tumbled in an upward direction in the group. Thus, any bottles which may assume an edgewise position in the group will be urged upwardly until they assume a flat position on the lower belt and will then be aligned longitudinally in the tapering path by engagement with one or the other of the side belts to permit passage of the bottles through the lower end of the tapering path.

While the illustrated and preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates that the container handling device be supported in an inclined position it will be apparent that similar results may be obtained with a device supported in a substantially horizontal position or in a substantially vertical position. In any event, the containers or other elongated articles deposited into the upper or wider end of the tapering path fall by gravity onto the lowermost belt and are aligned longitudinally during their advance to permit passage through the smaller end of the tapering path, other randomly arranged containers being urged upwardly to clear the path for a properly aligned container and to cause such upwardly urged containers to assume a position on the lowermost belt by gravity.

As thus described, it will be seen that the present container handling device is adapted to withdraw containers from a bulk supply thereof and to deliver the same in a longitudinally aligned end-to-end position into a chute for delivery to subsequent container handling apparatus. While the particular containers being handled in the present device have been delined as comprising relatively lightweight plastic `bottles of rectangular or oval cross section it will `be understood that the present device may be used with advantage for longitudinally aligning elongated bottles of other cross sectional shapes, such as square or cylindrical shapes, `by adjustment of the belts to provide a tapering path of a size to accommodate the cross sectional dimensions of the bottles being handled. It will also be apparent that containers of other materials, such as glass or metal, may be handled by the present device. It will also be understood that the present device may be used with advantage for longitudinally aligning elongated articles other than containers and of various cross sectional dimensions.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A device for aligning elongated articles longitudinally comprising a plurality of continuously Imoving belts detining a four-sided elongated tapering path through which the articles are caused to advance from the larger end to the smaller end thereof, the smaller end of saidpath eing of a size such as to permit endwise passage of an elongated article arranged longitudinally of the path, one of said continuously moving belts traveling in the direction of advance of the articles through the path, the remaining continuously moving belts traveling in an opposite direction, said oppositely moving belts operating to engage and move randomly arranged articles to cause them to assume a longitudinally aligned position on said one continuously moving element to permit advance of successive, longitudinally aligned articles endwise through said smaller end of the path.

2. A device for aligning elongated articles longitudinally comprising a plurality of continuously moving endless belts supported in an inclined position and defining an elongated four-sided tapering path through which the articles are caused to advance from the larger end to the smaller end thereof, the smaller end of said path being of a size such as to permit endwise passage of an elongated article arranged longitudinally of the path, the lowermost of said continuously moving inclined belts traveling in the direction of advance of the articles through the path, the remaining continuously moving `belts traveling in the opposite direction, said oppositely moving belts operating to engage and move randomly arranged articles to cause them to assume a longitudinally aligned position on said lowermost continuously moving belt and to permit advance of successive longitudinally aligned position on said lowermost continuously 'moving belt and to permit advance of successive longitudinally aligned articles endwise through said smaller end of the path.

CII

3. A container handling device for aligning elongatedcontainers longitudinally comprising a plurality of continuously moving belts supported in an inclined position and delining an elongated path tapering on four sides and through which the containers are caused to pass from the larger to the smaller end thereof, the smaller end of said path being of a size such as to permit endwise passage therethrough of an elongated container arranged longitudinally of the path, the lowermost of said continuously moving belts traveling downwardly in the direction of advance of the containers, the remaining continuously moving belts traveling upwardly, those containers assuming a position on the lowermost belt being engaged by said up- Wardly moving belts to cause them to assume a longitudinally aligned position to permit advance thereof through the smaller end of the path, and those containers otherwise positioned being urged upwardly to clear the path for an aligned container and to cause such upwardly urged containers to assume a position on said lowermost belt.

4. A container handling device as delined in claim 3 wherein the belts dening said tapering path include an upper belt opposed to said lowermost belt, and opposed side belts.

5. A container handling device as dened in claim 4 wherein provision is made for adjustably mounting the belts to vary the tapering path therebetween.

6. A container handling device as delined in claim 4 wherein the side belts comprise a plurality of relatively narrow spaced belts arranged in longitudinally spaced tiers, the lower tier extending the full length of the elongated path and the upper tiers progressively decreasing in length whereby to conform substantially to the space between said upper and lower belts.

7. A container handling device as delined in claim 4 which includes driving means common to all of said belts.

8. In a container handling device for aligning elongated containers longitudinally, in combination, a supply hopper containing a bulk supply of randomly arranged containers and from which containers are withdrawn by gravity, a plurality of continuously moving belts supported in an inclined position and defining a four-sided elongated tapering path through which the containers are caused to pass from the larger to the smaller end thereof, the smaller end of said path providing an opening of a size such as to permit endwise passage therethrough of an elongated container arranged longitudinally of the path, the lowermost of said continuously moving belts traveling downwardly in the direction of advance of the containers, the remaining belts traveling upwardly, those containers assuming a position on the lowermost belt being engaged by said upwardly moving belts to cause them to assume a longitudinally aligned position to permit advance thereof through said opening, and those containers other than the ones resting on said lowermost belt being urged upwardly by the remaining belts to clear the path for an aligned container, such other containers being urged upwardly until they assume a position on said lowermost belt to be aligned and discharged through said opening, and a guide chute arranged to receive the longitudinally aligned containers discharged through said opening to provide a supply thereof.

9. In a device for aligning elongated articles longitudinally, in combination, a supply hopper containing a bulk supply of randomly arranged articles and from which the articles are withdrawn by gravity, a plurality of continuously moving belts delining a four-sided elongated tapering path through which the articles are caused to advance from the larger end to the smaller end thereof, the smaller end of said path providing an opening of a size such as to permit endwise passage of an elongated article arranged longitudinally of the path, one of said continuously moving belts traveling in the direction of aoaalaz References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hungerford Apr. 27, 1926 Rowe Oct. 20, 1931 Stiles July 17, 19511 FQREIGN PATENTS France Dec. 3, 1945 Germany Sept. 26, 1934 wml... wlw

:UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,042,182 July 3, 1962 James P. Whelan It is hereby certified that error a ent requiring correction and that the sa id Letters Patent should read as Column 4, line 34, for "from" read form column 5, lines 72 to 74, strike out "position on said.1owermost continuously moving belt and to permit advance of successive longitudinally aligned".

Signed and sealed this l9th day of March 1963.

(SEAL) Attest:

EsToN G. JOHNSON DAVID L- LADD Commissioner of Patents 

